Apparatus for producing printing plates having movable journal for axial removal of plate

Abstract

An apparatus for producing printing plates on a supporting cylinder is provided. Mountings arranged on a frame accommodate a blank printing plate arranged on a supporting cylinder. The supporting cylinder is driven by a motor. The apparatus allows the supporting cylinder to be exposed at an end opposite the motor by its journal together with the mounting accommodating the journal. Thus, the supporting cylinder is capable of being moved away from the frame at one end, which makes it possible to draw the printing plate axially off the supporting cylinder. The apparatus can be used to produce a variety of printing plates, including: a relief printing plate, an offset printing plate, a sleeve-like printing plate, and a gravure printing plate.

We claim:  
     
       1. An apparatus for making printing plates, comprising: 
       a frame;  
       a first mounting element and a second mounting element arranged on an upper surface of the frame;  
       a supporting cylinder interposed between the first mounting element and the second mounting element, the supporting cylinder having a first end and a second end;  
       a first journal removeably attached to the first end of the supporting cylinder and arranged on the first mounting element;  
       a second journal interposed between the second end of the supporting cylinder and the second mounting element;  
       a blank printing plate arranged on the supporting cylinder and upon which an image can be set; and  
       a motor arranged on the frame for driving the second journal and the supporting cylinder, wherein the first journal together with the first mounting element are moveable away from the supporting cylinder so as to expose the supporting cylinder at the first end and allow the printing plate to be axially removed from the supporting cylinder.  
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the supporting cylinder is mounted in the second mounting element so as to prevent the supporting cylinder from being axially displaced. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the motor is flange-mounted to the second mounting element coaxially with respect to a longitudinal axis of the supporting cylinder and is coupled to the second journal of the supporting cylinder. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
       a flexible drive connection between the motor and the second journal, the motor being flange-mounted to the second mounting so as to be offset axially with respect to a longitudinal axis of the supporting cylinder.  
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the second mounting element comprises a supporting tube having a spindle connected to the supporting cylinder, the motor being arranged in the supporting tube and connected to the spindle. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the printing plate is a sleeve printing plate clamped onto the supporting cylinder. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the first mounting element and the second mounting element accommodate at least one further supporting cylinder having a diameter different from that of the supporting cylinder, rendering the supporting cylinder and the further supporting cylinder interchangeable with one another. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising: 
       a first intermediate sleeve interchangably mounted on the supporting cylinder, upon which the sleeve printing plate can be clamped, the first intermediate sleeve having a first external diameter, wherein the first intermediate sleeve may be interchanged with a second intermediate sleeve having a second external diameter different from the first external diameter.  
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein a plurality of sleeve printing plates having different thicknesses can be interchangeably clamped onto the supporting cylinder. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the printing plate is a finite printing plate, the apparatus further comprising: 
       a clamping device arranged on the supporting cylinder and capable of clamping to the finite printing plate.  
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the printing plate is an offset printing plate arranged on the supporting cylinder. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the printing plate is selected from the group consisting, of a relief printing plate and a flexographic printing plate. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the printing plate is a gravure printing plate. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the gravure printing plate is arranged in a surface of the supporting cylinder. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
       at least one additional device selected from the group consisting of an erasing device, a fixing device and an application device for layers needed to produce the printing plate, the additional device being set against the supporting cylinder.  
     
     
       16. An apparatus for making printing plates, comprising: 
       a frame;  
       a first mounting element and a second mounting element arranged on the frame;  
       a supporting cylinder interposed between the first mounting element and the second mounting element, the supporting cylinder having a first end and a second end;  
       a first journal removeably attached to the first end of the supporting cylinder and arranged on the first mounting element;  
       a second journal interposed between the second end of the supporting cylinder and the second mounting element;  
       a blank printing plate arranged on the supporting cylinder and upon which an image can be set;  
       a motor arranged on the frame for driving the second journal and the supporting cylinder, wherein the first journal together with the first mounting element are moveable away from the supporting cylinder so as to expose the supporting cylinder at the first end and allow the printing plate to be axially removed from the supporting cylinder; and  
       second linear guide means for mounting the second mounting element on the frame so as to render the second mounting element displaceable in a longitudinal direction of the supporting cylinder.  
     
     
       17. The apparatus according to  claim 16 , further comprising: 
       a working cylinder attached to the second mounting element and supported on the frame.  
     
     
       18. The apparatus according to  claim 16 , further including: 
       first linear guide means for mounting the first mounting element onto the frame so as to render the first mounting element transversely displaceable with respect to a longitudinal axis of the supporting cylinder.  
     
     
       19. The apparatus according to  claim 18 , further comprising: 
       a working cylinder attached to the first mounting, element and supported on the frame.  
     
     
       20. An apparatus for making printing plates, comprising: 
       a frame;  
       a first mounting element and a second mounting element arranged on the frame;  
       a supporting cylinder interposed between the first mounting element and the second mounting element, the supporting cylinder having a first end and a second end;  
       a first journal removeably attached to the first end of the supporting cylinder and arranged on the first mounting element;  
       a second journal interposed between the second end of the supporting cylinder and the second mounting element;  
       a blank printing plate arranged on the supporting cylinder and upon which an image can be set;  
       a motor arranged on the frame for driving the second journal and the supporting cylinder, wherein the first journal together with the first mounting element are moveable away from the supporting cylinder so as to expose the supporting cylinder at the first end and allow the printing plate to be axially removed from the supporting cylinder; and  
       a cross slide arranged on the frame, the first mounting element being mounted on the cross slide so as to be moved by the cross slide at least one of axially with respect to a longitudinal axis of the supporting cylinder and transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the supporting cylinder.